Gap Kids Taste on a Garanimals Budget: Tips for Shopping Consignment Sales like a Pro

I love to shop, but to rewrite a common phrase, I have “Gap Kids taste on a Garanimals budget.” In 2013, shortly after my first child was born, my mom and I braved the local semi-annual consignment sale. And I do mean braved. We were underprepared for what we experienced – shopping carts, laundry hampers, even strollers, piled higher than than those pushing them were tall with any (and all) of the accouterments of childhood. Tightly packed racks with flowered snap crotch baby bodysuits stretched from one end of an empty superstore to the other.  We left sweaty, dazed, and incredulous at the amazing deals we found – was that even legal?

From that sale forward, I made it a goal to be prepared and much more organized. Five years later, I shop this same sale twice a year for my 3 kids on a tight budget.  I have consigned clothes (a labor of love) and a currently a first-time volunteer, so while I don’t consider myself an expert in all things consignment, I’ve picked up some tips along the way.

First, you have to prioritize. Know what you are looking for, make a list, and prioritize it so you know how and where to shop first. My list – figuratively and literally – is going to look different from yours and that is OK, sister-friend! Maybe you are all about the smocked things and need to hit that boutique section hard. Or maybe it’s a point of pride that you don’t spend more than $10 on any one outfit. There is not a wrong answer, but having a prioritized list is key to not getting distracted by all of the good deals and cute clothes.

What is a Deal? Once you know what is important for your family, you get to decide what is a deal. If you find a pair of pajamas that is normally $28 and you find it for $12, that may be a deal for you, or it may break your $10 rule. That’s the great the thing about such a large consignment sale – there’s something for everyone! Know what you would pay for something new so you can gauge if the listed price is worth it. 

Know your brands. Doing a little homework on the front end will help considerably as you shop. Bonus: this gets easier once you know the brands that work well for your people. Knowing that a certain brand runs small on your child might mean that you avoid that one altogether or you know to size up. I always check the sizes above and below what my kids currently wearing to look for pieces that will work but may be outliers in what we know is fairly arbitrary sizing.

Shop Smarter: Check the calendar to know how you can shop early, when the reload days are, and the half-price days. The smartest time for you to shop depends on the priorities you set for yourself (best deals vs. special clothes at a good price). Before I shop, I always have my kids try on clothes from last year to gauge sizing and what we actually need – versus what is really cute (Spoiler, most of it). If you plan on looking at footwear, grab a piece of paper and outline each child’s foot so you can hold shoes up against it while you shop. I label each foot outline and write what I am shopping for with each child so all of my stuff is in one place.

Lastly, check before you buy.  Mistakes happen, sometimes stains and other issues are missed by both the consignors and the receivers, so it’s up to you to triple check before you purchase. This does not only apply to stains – although you should thoroughly check anywhere kids typically get stains (which, if you’re my children,  is everywhere).  Be diligent about checking under the tag as monograms, cartoon characters, or logos could be avoided with a quick flip of the index card. 

It definitely takes time, effort, and some planning but consignment shopping can be a budget conscious and less stressful way to shop. If you’ve never been, I strongly recommend giving Kids Clothes Connection a try, the Spring 2019 sale runs March 9th-22nd at the Village Event Center in Opelika. 

If this is not your first consignment rodeo, would love to hear your pro tips in the comments!